


Edelgard von Hresvelg, and "El."

by Zalakbian



Series: Mari's Edeleth Series [5]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Baby Jeralt, Blood and Gore, Comedy, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Family Drama, From my previous fic, Implied Sexual Content, Jealousy, Light Dom/sub, Married Life, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Spoilers, Time Travel, Trans Ferdinand von Aegir, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-01-26 13:14:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21374716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zalakbian/pseuds/Zalakbian
Summary: In fatal combat and with no other options, Byleth tries to use the Divine Pulse long after the Goddess' power has left her. However, instead of time rewinding for her, it jumps forward for someone else.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra (mentioned)
Series: Mari's Edeleth Series [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1515083
Comments: 53
Kudos: 235





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> This work is more or less a sequel to my previous fic, "Expecting," you don't need to read it 100%, but you might miss out on a few callbacks, all you really need to know is Edelgard and Byleth are married and they have a child together named Jeralt.
> 
> And for those squeamish to the idea there is no "funny business" that will be had with younger Edelgard, I promise.
> 
> If you like this, please consider joining to talk about it on the [Edeleth Discord Server](https://discord.gg/m2AVbJ3) I run! You can also [follow me on Twitter!](https://twitter.com/MariMari07_01)

It was supposed to have been easy, march out of Enbarr with the 1st and 3rd Black Eagle Battalions, and crush a small, rogue group of Those Who Slither in the Dark that had been spotted encamping in a canyon far outside the city. Resistance was expected to be minimal, so said Hubert given the number of foes reported, so Byleth didn’t even bother asking any of the former Strike Force members to come lead alongside her.

“This will be nothing, El, I’ll be back before the week is over…” Byleth cursed under her breath, the Sword of the Creator’s chains retracting from the nape of the fourth Demonic Beast she had felled.

There were precious few veterans in Byleth’s scrappy force, and thus very few individuals who had even seen, let alone faced a Demonic Beast, so it was a testament to the training and charisma of those few officers that they and Byleth kept their entire force from being routed in terror. It appeared as though this small group was hoarding Crest Stones, artificial or real, as every time they managed to fell one Beast another suddenly appeared deeper in the group.

They had been fighting since the crack of dawn, and the sun was now at its highest in the sky, Byleth wiped off the blood and grime plastered to her forehead, and tried not to think about her hunger and fatigue as yet another fresh Beast reared its head to charge.

“STAND FIRM EVERYONE!” Byleth bellowed out, raising the Sword of the Creator to meet the Beast. “ARCHERS, AWAY!”

Behind the main front, over two dozen Snipers let loose their prepared volley in perfect timing, a hail of arrows flying overhead and impacting themselves into the charging demon, apparently wounding it greatly it screeched in horror, but only enough to slow it down. Out in front, Byleth and her lead fighters prepared themselves to get in range, the Professor turned General, turned Empress extending her whip sword again in anticipation.

However, too late Byleth realized they should’ve also been paying attention to their left flank, and it was only the thundering cry of, “IMPACT!” from one of her lieutenants that allowed them all to scramble out of the way of an incoming magic bolt from that side. With a sharp crack, the attack exploded into the rock face to their right, spraying granite shrapnel across the front line and collapsing their thin formation, meanwhile the Beast seemed unfazed and continued it’s slow trudge toward them.

Byleth tried to reorganize those around her to strike, but then another danger became apparent as a large slab of stone from the cliffside broke up and threatened to fall upon them in moments. Acting on instinct, Byleth shoved the nearest page out of harm’s way while she tried to get out the falling path herself, but in her haste Byleth tripped over a fallen comrade’s spear, and she could only turn around throw up her arms in a futile act of defence against the crushing pillar.

_“El, please, I promise to come home to you and Jeralt safely.”_

Searing pain rang through Byleth’s right leg and she screamed in agony as the slab broke apart on impact, one of the larger pieces pinning her shin to the ground. Byleth couldn’t see overtop the fallen rocks from her position on the ground but from the sounds of the Beast and battle she knew it was upon them. Byleth tried desperately to pry her leg free from it’s entrapment, with every tug sending another clash of torment up her body, but nothing would budge, and no one could hear her calls for help over the cacophony of disorder.

_I have no choice, I have to try it!_

Byleth hadn’t tried to use the power of Sothis to rewind time since the end of the war in Fhirdiad, well over two years ago. She knew part of her power of the Goddess had vanished after slaying Rhea, yet how much remained was still an unknown variable, the Sword of the Creator still answered her call, would Sothis as well? Now Byleth was seeing the head of the Beast slowly emerging over the fallen rock, and she had no further time to prepare closing her eyes and trying her mightiest to muster a Divine Pulse before blacking out from the trauma.

_“Sorry, Byleth, but this is the best I can do.”_

Instead of feeling the hands of time rewind, Byleth witnessed a burst of heat and light around the silhouette of an axe wielding figure atop the pile. Without pause, the mysterious person drove their axe right into the crest stone on the Beast’s head, causing it’s monstrous form to disintegrate and vanish. The edges of Byleth’s vision was darkening fast, but she did see her saviour use that same axe to jack up the slab compressing her leg, allowing a couple of her companion infantry to pull her out.

Her leg was badly mangled by the crash, shin bones stuck out through the skin and the whole calf was brown with dust, dirt and blood, if she wasn’t already about to pass out Byleth might have thrown up at such a sight. She then felt a pair of familiar hands shake her shoulders, trying to gain her attention, Byleth looked up with the last of her strength to see the striking platinum locks of her dearest hovering above her head.

“My teacher, you’re going to be ok, I’ve got you!”

“El… is that you…?” Byleth weakly sputtered before going dark.

“El...? Why did you call me that? How do you know that name?”

In her head, Byleth couldn’t help but dream back to those magical few weeks after her son Jeralt was born. Just her, Edelgard, their child, and no real distractions or duties apart from the semi-frequent visitations from their companions during the war. Even Bernadetta had made the trip from Varley to Enbarr, bringing with her an adorable collection of hand-stuffed toys, including a large fluffy brown bear, a sleek silver pike, and…

“...What is this?” Edelgard questioned, holding up the bizarre, plant-looking creation which looked as though it had cat whiskers. Bernie beamed with pride at the sight of her art, ecstatically claiming, “It’s a fly trap!”

She grabbed one of Byleth’s fingers and dragged it to the maw of the plant, “See a bug flies in here, and then wham!” Bernie closed the flaps of the plant’s “mouth” around Byleth’s finger. Both parents looked to each other in mutual disbelief and confusion, but the wondrous giggles of Jeralt when Bernie handed him the stuffed plant was good enough for the two of them.

Naturally, the fly trap became the child’s favourite toy.

But if Byleth could be honest and a little selfish in admission, her greatest joy during their mutual down time was all the attention Edelgard heaped on her. They shared meals, tea, and leisure together, exchanged tender kisses and love under the bedsheets, and they both took turns doting on, playing with and feeding their beautiful baby Jeralt. All the while Byleth tried her hardest to avoid the peppering of sweets and cakes from Lysithea and Edelgard, as often futile as it was, the growing number of pinches and pokes at the expense of her still visibly swollen tummy a constant source of teasing for the Empress.

Nevertheless, It was paradise for Byleth, and it was exactly what she wished her and Edelgard’s life could just be.

Too bad that had to run head first into reality after one short month.

Edelgard sorrowfully returned to her daily duties as Emperor, no longer able to pass off the growing concerns levied towards her from the Empire’s ministers, and was now in fact playing mostly catch up from her break. Byleth gradually saw the exhaustion and overworkedness return to her wife, and the sudden deprivation of one of his mother’s for most of the day proved stressful to little Jeralt as well.

The child had been happy and mostly content while they were both around, only making a fuss when he was hungry or to remind his parents he was there when they got lost in kisses atop the bed. Now, Byleth struggled to keep Jeralt pacified nearly all the time, her child crying so hard and so frequently Byleth would sometimes be forced to tearfully beg her wife to come to the nursery and just hold him until he calmed down and went to sleep, leaving as soon as she laid the sleeping babe in his bed, almost always without a word to Byleth.

After two months of struggling alone, Byleth threw herself back into military command, officially to assist Edelgard in cleaning up insurrections and rogues within the territory, unofficially because she had enough, and couldn’t handle the responsibility of parenting solo any longer, instead passing her son’s care off to nanny’s and anyone who could be bothered for the day, only returning to spend time with Jeralt alongside Edelgard as the workday came to a close.

It was almost funny, Byleth thought, Edelgard had confessed to her while she was pregnant and she worried about being unfit to be a parent, and yet while Edelgard had to redistribute her time out of duty to a noble goal, here Byleth was simply giving up and running away, more or less. She hated herself for it, often taking a moment or two away from her training to let of a brief wail of desperation, all the while her hair was even more unkempt, breasts taut and sore from a lack of feeding, and she would train herself and her soldiers to the point of passing out to try and escape the pain in her mind and body.

“What were you doing out there, my teacher?”

Byleth could hear her wife calling out to her again, still in a haze, she thought maybe she was already back in Enbarr, now needing to explain how everything had gone all so wrong.

So she opened her eyes, and right away Byleth realized she was actually in the medical tent set up at their forward camp, injured soldiers and comrades laid out in rows and columns all around her, tortured moans and groans of pain and discomfort echoing all throughout.the cramped interior. A scant few healers made their rounds through the sea of injured fighters, doing their best to save, or at least make comfortable those they could, Byleth thought maybe one of them was hovering over her right now, her eyes were still a little fuzzy so she blinked a few times to correct it.

Shockingly, it was actually Edelgard that was tending to her.

She was seated to her side, looking down from above, concerned lilac eyes locked with confused cornflower irises. However, there was much different about Edelgard, she looked much younger, wore no crown, her hair was all platinum, and she was dressed in her old academy attire just with a ragged brown cloak thrown overtop.

Why was her wife here? And why did she look like she had come straight from her professor days?

“I asked you a question first, Professor, what is this place and why are we here? Where is the rest of the Black Eagle Strike Force?” Edelgard repeated to her, impatient for an answer.

Byleth couldn’t answer, her head was spinning and her throat cried out for water, so reaching behind herself for leverage, Byleth tried to shift herself upright, only then recognizing that her leg was tightly bound in a white cast so there would be no standing for the time being. Instead she settled on sitting upright, Edelgard instinctively using her own arms to support the battered Professor as she struggled and eventually succeeded in uprighting herself.

“Water.” Byleth barely managed to cough out, and Edelgard immediately handed her an open waterskin which she began drowning herself in reckless abandon, choking slightly near the end and requiring Edelgard’s assistance to spit it out.

“What day is it?” Byleth asked.

“13th, Lone Moon, Thursday.”

“What year?”

“1180, Professor what is this about?”

Oh.

What in Sothis’ name had happened?

A long awkward silence hung between them as Byleth tried to piece together a response.

She thought, where do you begin with this, “Actually Academy Era Edelgard?” Do you take it slow? Or do you just dump everything out at once and hope for the best? This realization of a time traveling Edelgard was stressing Byleth’s taxed brain out even more, and she really didn’t want to get dragged into a long, drawn out interrogation with her ever worsening headache.

On the other hand, she should’ve remembered that Edelgard was an extremely shrewd customer.

“It’s actually year 1187, Horsebow Moon, you’re Emperoring in Enbarr, and I got sent here to eliminate a part of the group you used to work with.”

Edelgard let out an uncharacteristically hysterical laugh, “My teacher, your imagination is clearly much greater than I ever gave you credit for.”

“Hubert called them ‘Those Who Slither in the Dark, their leader is, or rather **was** Thales, your Uncle.”

The mere mention of those names ceased all response from Edelgard, and she slowly recoiled back and away from Byleth as she stood up, her expression equal parts shock and dread. Once she was up her prized student bolted out of the tent to parts unknown, Byleth tired mightily to get up and effect a chase but the second she put any pressure on her ruined leg she yelped in pain and fell back to the ground.

_Well, that could’ve gone better._

With nothing left she could do in this state, Byleth settled back into her stiff mattress cot and let the desire for rest overtake her once again.

“If it’s really El, she’ll come back to me…”

It was hours later and at the moon’s greatest height when Byleth was reawoken, but it wasn’t any of the things she was used to bringing her out of a bed, a kiss, a cry or a knocking door.

It was the cold steel of a knife pressed right against her throat by her beloved Edelgard.

Byleth took a big gulp as she saw the faint face of pure anger on Edelgard illuminated by the moonlight, making a mental note to herself that if she survived this apparent assassination attempt she would **never** attempt knifeplay with her wife ever again. Edelgard kept the knife to her throat as she slowly leaned forward to whisper with furious intensity into her ear.

**“Who are you, and where is my Professor?!”**

_Yes, definitely could have gone better._


	2. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard had a lot of questions for her future wife, some she perhaps didn't actually want answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blegh, my mind is a mess, i slept like crap, woke up sneezing my eyeballs out, but I can still write.
> 
> This one is mostly dialogue, now excuse me while I go sleep off this migraine.

**“Start talking, or I end this now.”**

Byleth struggled mightily as she thought of what statement wouldn’t make Edelgard slit her throat in one stroke, all she could really think of was that “a younger time travelling version of my wife threatening to kill me,” was going to be an unbeatable story if she made it out of this with her neck intact. The Emperor pressed the blade in ever so slightly more and Byleth could feel a thin trickle of blood starting to seep down, she was running out of time, fast.

How does Byleth convince her that she really is her professor? And that she isn’t some dark agent out to get her?

Maybe sharing more secrets was the key?

“Your hair is actually brown!”

_Slice_

Maybe confessing?

“I love you!”

_Snikt_

Nope, bad call, what about something only the two of them would know? No one else?

“The night of the ball, we were at the Goddess Tower, you said I should’ve asked to kiss you!”

The knife at her throat loosened slightly, and Edelgard added a hint of confusion to the malice etched on her face.

“I told you about my talk with Sylvain, and then with Ingrid-”

“Ok, Professor, it’s you, you can stop now.” Edelgard interjected, sheathing her knife and pulling out a white handkerchief to press on the thin cut she had made on Byleth’s throat. There they remained locked in gaze, all silent apart of the chirps or crickets through the folds of the tent, both trying to think of how to proceed from this awkward situation.

“Do you want to talk… outside?” Edelgard nervously whispered, now looking painfully guilty at almost having murdered her Professor in cold blood. Byleth looked away, not wanting to see her love in such visible distress, “I can’t really walk with my leg like this.” She explained. “But if you need some air after that… I’ll be fine.”

To Byleth’s shock Edelgard quickly snuck her arms under Byleth and hoisted her up bridal style, intent clear to solo carry her to somewhere private if that was what it took, and Byleth gave a simple nod in approval to her. As they slipped away outside the camp in into a nearby group of trees Byleth couldn’t help but think to times when her Edelgard would playfully scoop her up and carry her to bed. She loved to show off her strength in her love, and Byleth was always keen on witnessing it, though once in bed Byleth would almost always end up on top of her wife.

Edelgard grunted slightly as she slowly laid Byleth down, her back resting against a tall maple tree. “Whew, you’re heavier than I remember, my teacher.” Byleth was perplexed, as she couldn’t remember any time prior to her reunion at Garreg Mach where her student had picked her up. She was also worked up as yet another unflattering comment was made regarding her figure, and so Byleth pouted and stuck her tongue out at Edelgard to show her disapproval, leading her to laugh somewhat.

“My, Professor, you’ve sure changed a lot, I’ve never seen you this expressive before… I like it.” She beamed.

Byleth was still less than impressed, and she demanded to know how Edelgard could continue to find ways to tease her about her weight even as a time travel duplicate from the past.

“Well, it has been seven years for you, my teacher, the last I held you like that was out of the Sealed Forest after we felled Kronya and Solon.” She helpfully pointed out to Byleth.

“But you told me that Hubert had carried me out that day?”

Edelgard chuckled once more, “I lied, and it took quite a lot to keep Dorothea and Ferdinand quiet when they saw us.”

Well, if anything else was going to convince Byleth that this Edelgard was from the past, hearing that name again would certainly do it. “You must have a lot of questions, El.” Byleth matter of factly stated, “I’ll try to answer as many as you wish.”

Edelgard took a seat herself across from Byleth, and against a different tree. She held her chin in a thinking pose as her mind swirled with possibilities and unknowns about her future, deep in thought over what she could piece together, and what needed to be clarified.

“Well, how about I start with the obvious ones.” Edelgard began, bringing her gloved hands to her knees. “If you’re calling me ‘El’, then we must be close, very close… married?”

Byleth hugged her undamaged leg close to her chest, feeling the bite of the night’s cold air around her. “Almost two years now.” She revealed with a smile. Edelgard had to cover her face in embarrassment, her features quickly turning tomato red at the reveal that her school time crush would eventually blossom into a full romance. After regaining a little composure Edelgard turned to her next more pertinent question.

“Professor… we won, right?”

Byleth smiled divinely and looked at her student with all of her pride and compassion, “Together, we defeated the Church, we defeated Rhea, and we’re finishing off the last dregs of Thales’ plans.”

Edelgard stared back in amazement, cleared things had gone better for her future self then she ever could’ve imagined, not only had her dear teacher defied all expectations in siding with her over Rhea, but they were even chasing away her more personal demons, ones she hadn’t even told her own Byleth about.

“There were some rough moments… things I wish had gone differently, but I’m proud of having walked with you, and what we did together.” Byleth continued on, thinking of how differently things could have gone if she never fell into her five year coma, or if they had been able to convince more of their fellow students to join them.

Sitting here talking to the young Edelgard, it felt very nostalgic to Byleth, and she continued to go on and on about their experience through the war, from the reunion at Garreg Mach right up to the final battle in Fhirdiad. And all the while Byleth thought to herself that if she made it back this Edelgard could do a whole lot more good with the information she now had.

It was remarkable, the Emperor noted, and she had to know more.

“So, how is my future self? I must be more carefree if we’ve accomplished this much already?”

Byleth immediately felt the awkwardness returning to her from Edelgard’s new innocent prodding, the thought of explaining any of their “family troubles,” like pulling teeth, and she really didn’t want to go into detail about it. So Byleth spoke in half-truths and vagueness, trying to put off actually answering any similar inquisitions until it were more appropriate.

“Um… we’re, uh, you’re fine… my El is busy doing Emperor things… which is why I’m out in the field.”

Again, she should’ve realized that Edelgard was very shrewd.

“Hmm… maybe I have less to look forward to than I thought.” She recognized, head sunken. Edelgard had originally thought of this future of hers being idyllic, but she could tell just from her Professor’s tone and choice of words that there were a lot more troubles then she was letting onto.

Byleth sighed wearily, thinking that maybe in recent times letting down Edelgard was a constant no matter what the situation was. She thought maybe telling the truth could salvage the situation somewhat, who knows what could happen given how things were turning out?

“Edelgard, our time together has without a doubt been the happiest times of our lives… things have just been stressful lately, I’m thinking now maybe wasn’t the best time to raise a child together.”

Byleth saw that Edelgard had returned to a look of utter disbelief, colours draining and eyes widening, but she paid it no kind as she continued to spill out her thoughts. “Maybe we’ve both lost the bigger picture, how can we make a better future for Fódlan if we can’t even make a better now for our family?”

By now she thought she had it figured out, “I’ve been a fool, I told El that she didn’t have to do everything herself, that she had people who could help her, and instead of following that advice myself I did the same thing El did and just ran away, burying myself in work!”

Her mind was made up, when she got back home Byleth was going to apologize to both her wife and her child and make it up to them. After all, she and her El had accomplished so much, as this Edelgard had rightfully pointed out, surely being good parents was nowhere near one of their biggest hurdles?

“Um… Edelgard? Are you alright?” Byleth asked her dazed student, realizing she hadn’t moved or said a thing since her first confession.

From her position Byleth couldn’t quite reach Edelgard, so she shimmied herself over bit by bit using her arms and free leg until she could place a concerned hand on her shoulder.

“Oh! I’m sorry, my teacher, what were you saying?” Edelgard blurted out as the touch brought her back to reality. In truth, the reveal that they had a child together had shocked the Emperor near the point of passing out, and she silently decided that it was better to cease asking probing questions and just go along with her Professor until whatever brought her here sorted itself out.

Byleth scratched the back of her head in confusion, asking that perhaps it was better for them to retire back to the camp for the rest of the night, the night turning ever colder by the minute. “Yes, perhaps that is wise.” Edelgard agreed, dusting off her legs as she stood and prepared to make her exit.

“You can get someone at the camp to help me back, if you want.” Byleth asserted as Edelgard prepared yet again to pick her up, but the Emperor didn’t reply, just raising Byleth up as effortlessly as she had earlier.

“As if I would let anyone else dare hold you so tenderly, my teacher”

On their way back, Byleth silently thanked whatever force had brought Edelgard to her, it didn’t matter that it was a different person, it was still her beloved Edelgard, and Byleth found herself yawning and falling asleep in her arms just as easily as her wife’s.

“Have a good sleep, my teacher; tomorrow we’ll return home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a smaller one, I just wanted to get a lot of this out of the way so I can have the crew go home and start the real fun. Also the new DLC came out as I was writing this and oh my god I might have to write a Jeritza into one of my stories.


	3. Nostalgia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Edelgard and Byleth finally arrive in Enbarr, and both halves meet for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gahhhh sorry this took so long, depression is hard.

It takes a couple more nights before enough of Byleth’s company was recovered enough to begin the march back to the Imperial capital, the stench of blood and smoke constantly hanging over their camp as the injured were tended to, and the dead were given rites and buried. The Empress spent most of her time cooped up in the Commander’s tent, composing letters of condolence for the families of the lost, thinking it the least she could do in regards to the disaster that had just ensued.

Though she thought another might be questioning Hubert about the quality of his intelligence reports.

“My teacher, I cannot believe anyone would ever have accused you of being heartless.” A voice spoke to her from the flaps of the tent, Byleth briefly shifted her bespectacled gaze upwards to see young Edelgard standing inside her tent dripping from fresh rainfall and holding a pair of steaming bowls of stew.

She returned to the quill and paper on her desk, hiding the genuine smile on her face, “I’m perfectly capable of making it to the mess tent, you know.” Byleth stated, both eyeing the newly supplied wooden crutches gently leaning against the side of her small desk. Edelgard walked up and placed the bowls between themselves on the desk, taking off her drenched coat to hang by the entrance before taking her seat opposite Byleth.

“I wanted to eat together with you, Professor… Byleth… if you don’t mind.” She sheepishly asked.

Byleth had been trying to have her meals among their soldiers, telling stories of the war in an attempt to boost morale, with Edelgard typically seated far in the back of whatever gathering the Empress had, but still listening in intensely. Some of the troops had looked upon the time displaced Emperor puzzlingly, but most paid her no mind, either not recognizing their Emperor or being preoccupied with more important tasks.

_If we make it to Enbarr and she sees herself, I bet she’ll be surprised._

“With the weather like that? Maybe it would be better to stay here, thank you El.” Byleth relented, taking a spoonful of the meaty bowl and tasting it, momentarily distracted from the newly acquired discomfort in Edelgard’s face.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” Byleth confessed, struggling to remember that this Edelgard had known her far less intimately then her wife. She pawed at this thick slurry with her spoon momentarily before clarifying, “Not that I don’t mind being called that… it’s just a bit surprising, I never thought I would get to be this close to someone ever again.”

Byleth wasn’t sure of the best way to ease the newly formed tension, so she took a gamble by extending her hand to gently rest her calloused fingers atop Edelgard’s gloved ones on the table. She knew Edelgard liked the feeling of her hands in her own, but wasn’t sure if this one would see the act as a gesture of openness or just another unwanted barrier.

“This may sound awkward, or just hopelessly romantic, but my having a heart is entirely thanks to you.” Byleth spoke with a smile as she continued to gently rub the back of Edelgard’s hand, she seemed to think the statement was intended as a joke, her former student now holding back clear laughter.

“I’m serious! It was only after we slew Rhea together that my heart started beating!” Byleth added, but by now all her efforts just resulted in Edelgard looking longingly at her, missing her Professor.

The sight triggered a deep pang in Byleth’s own heart, and she was filled with her own longing for El and little Jeralt, missing them greatly.

“Honestly… I’m nothing… I have nothing without you, Edelgard.”

An uneasy silence fell between them, the heavy patter of rain hitting the tent fabric drowning out any other noise the two of them could hear until Edelgard spoke out again.

“Eat,” she commanded, smiling once again, “Your Emperor demands that you be well fed and rested before we depart tomorrow morning.”

Edelgard apparently hadn’t followed half of her own advice, as when Byleth saw her that morning the young Emperor looked absolutely bagged and exhausted. She didn’t have to ask to realize the younger woman was plagued by nightmares while in bed, and so Byleth simply reminded her that it was ok to seek her help if she couldn’t sleep.

“Just because I’m not your Byleth doesn’t mean my obligations to you have ceased, I said you could come see me if you were having trouble with nightmares.”

Byleth then pulled the sleepy girl into a tight hug, reminding her, “I chose to walk with you, I’ll always be there to help.” She could hear a few muffled cries from Edelgard’s face buried into her shoulder, and Byleth kept her in an embrace until the younger woman had let out all her feelings.

They then shared a steed on the march back to the city, Byleth driving near the front of the line with Edelgard seated behind her. She had her arms loosely wrapped around her Professor’s torso, and her head head rested sideways against her back, lulled to sleep by the gentle beat of Byleth’s heart. They stopped for one more night about half a day’s ride from Enbarr, and Byleth was overjoyed to learn of a small fishing hole a short walk from their resting point.

Well, short for someone who didn’t have a busted leg.

“Really, Professor, I think you should take a moment to rest.” Edelgard insisted concerningly as the older woman continued to slowly trudge forward carrying a full pack of gear whilst walking using crutches. Edelgard for her part insisted on carrying a seat for Byleth herself, adamant that she didn’t need to burden herself with every implement, but even that reduced load was still proving challenging.

“I’ll be fine…” Byleth gasped out as they climbed a grassy hill together, “We’re almost there… I think.”

Once at the hills’ crest the two could see the familiar glow of water and hear the faint splash of fish jumping in the distance, giving the hungry Empress just the motivation she needed to make the rest of their way there.

“Do you want to try for a bit? The fish are really biting today!” Byleth asked Edelgard as they both rested at the edge of a small wooden jutty into the lake. “I’m fine just watching you have fun, it’s refreshing to see you so passionate about something” Edelgard replied, she had her boots and tights removed and was sitting with her feet submerged in the water, cooling off as the midday sun baked them both.

Byleth then got a snag in her line and began pulling in a new catch. “It’s funny, I’ve always found fishing pleasing, but now with my heart pumping… I get thrilled! Excited! It’s magnificent!” She explained ecstatically, her catch of a decent sized pike finally being wrought in and added to her growing bucket of food.

“Professor…” Edelgard then called out, grabbing the older woman’s attention, “Not that I don’t enjoy spending time with you… but have you thought about how I’m supposed to return at all?” She asked, absentmindedly swirling the water with her foot beneath her. Byleth cursed somewhat under her breath as she felt a fish escape her hook with the bait, she hadn’t really thought of it at all, after all she wasn’t entirely sure how Edelgard had come across time herself.

“All I know is that I tried to turn back the hands of time… as I so often did, but nothing happened, except that you appeared to save me.” Byleth confessed, affixing another worm to her line and casting it out. “If you don’t mind I was going to try and research it once I returned to Enbarr, if you’re ok with that.” She added. Edelgard agreed, but offered to share her side of how she seemed to appear in this time, to which Byleth was all too curious to hear.

“We were just talking, planning our attack on the Monastery, all of a sudden you went silent, your eyes unmoving.” Edelgard began, drawing herself out of the water as she began her explanation. “Then all of a sudden you grabbed my shoulders,” The Emperor then did so for emphasis, Byleth forgetting all about her line in the water.

“You said, ‘I need your help, there’s no time,’ and then all of a sudden I was there… does that explain anything?”

Byleth knew it had to involve Sothis, but she hadn’t directly spoken to her since… that day in the Sealed Forest. Was she still around somewhere and watching over her? Byleth wished she would just come out and speak to her again, she missed her dearly.

“Professor! Your fishing rod!” Edelgard called out as the long wooden pole jumped out of Byleth’s hands into the water.

Acting on instinct and against Edelgard’s protestations, the Empress dove head first into the lake to retrieve her prized fishing pole, forgetting all about her leg, as well as being fully clothed.

“Honestly, my teacher, you still need to work on your impulse control.” Edelgard stated matter of factly as helped to yank the now drenched Byleth out of the water, the pole wedged firmly between her teeth as if she was a dog fetching a stick. She then supported the former Professor’s bad leg as she removed the fishing rod from her mouth, teeth now chattering wildly. “It was… a lot colder in there than I was thinking.” Byleth shivered out.

“How about we head back to the camp… I think I caught enough to feed us both anyway.”

As the sun was nearly set for the day Byleth and Edelgard filled their bellies with the bounty of their catch around a large bonfire, Byleth wrapped in a large towel drying both herself and her clothes off. It felt very nostalgic for the both of them, the fishing, travelling, and sharing meals, Edelgard even managed to barter with the quartermaster for a small amount of tea leaves to share with Byleth, enough for a cup each.

“I can’t tell what kind of blend this is… but tea is tea.” Edelgard remarked after taking a sip, wishing desperately that she had milk or sugar to add to the somewhat bitter beverage.

Byleth couldn’t help but reminisce on her time spent teaching the Black Eagles, Freya proud, eager and asking many questions, Linhardt inevitably falling asleep in his seat, Bernadetta quiet but meticulous in her notes, those times were dearly missed, but the former Professor wouldn’t trade what she had now for anything in the universe.

Now she was alone in her cot as nighttime crickets blared all around the tent, mind too preoccupied to truly rest and just wishing time would move faster so she could return home and fill the aching void in her heart.

“Can’t sleep either, can you, my teacher?”

Byleth could faintly see Edelgard past the entrance to her tent, sleeping roll held against her chest, and platinum hair ruffled from tossing and turning in bed. “Do you mind if I stay here with you?” She quietly asked.

“I don’t mind at all, come here.”

Edelgard laid her roll right against Byleth’s, lying down and face her so the Empress’ warm smile could greet her own half-hearted one. She was content with just laying to rest next to her older Professor, but Byleth had more experience in this matter, and so she asked Edelgard if she was ok sleeping up against her. She said yes, and so Byleth grabbed and pulled Edelgard right up to her, surprising the younger woman as her head came to rest gently against her chest.

“We both sleep much better up close like this.” Byleth explained, releasing a tired yawn as she rubbed her cheeks in the soft locks atop Edelgard’s head. For her part the young Emperor was trying not to freak out, especially with her face all but pressed into the breasts that she always tried very hard not to let herself be mesmerized by while in class. Eventually after calming down somewhat Edelgard let herself truly sink into position, quickly finding the warmth and plushness offered by Byleth to be equal parts soothing and intoxicating.

Her eyes fluttering themselves to sleep, Edelgard let out a matching yawn, feeling sleep coming to claim her quickly.

“Mmmmm…. Professor soft…” She sighed, brightening Byleth’s smile even more.

“Told you we’d both sleep better.”

Their arrival into Enbarr the next afternoon had none of the fanfare Byleth typically expected after an exclusion such as this, reckoning that with their nearly doubled operation time no one was ready to greet them on their return. It was fine for Edelgard, who was still riding behind Byleth, just with a hood thrown over her head to avoid unnecessary attention from the populace. Instead they both realized attention would be coming from a different source as they both spotted very familiar red clad figure sprinting down the street towards them.

“It’s El!” Byleth beamed with joy, “Help me down, please?” She asked the younger Edelgard, unable to safely dismount a horse with her broken leg.

The second her foot was on the ground, Byleth began to close the distance as best she could with one of her crutches, the two lovers meeting and essentially crashing into each other just a couple dozen paces where Byleth had dismounted.

“Oh, By… I missed you so much… I was so worried when you didn’t return on time!” The older Edelgard cried out as she lifted her wife up and spun her around as though they were dancing. “I missed you too, El, so much, I’m sorry I took so much longer, things didn’t turn out so great.” Byleth confessed as she continued to embrace her lightly sobbing partner fiercely, the two eventually finding each other’s lips and exchanging a passionate, sorely needed kiss.

“How is little Jeralt, I hope he wasn’t too much trouble?” Byleth asked after their mouths had parted.

“Oh he fussed and cried a lot… he misses you too.” Edelgard admitted as Byleth wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Hubert has him, he was right behind me.” She followed up, turning around to see her dark haired minister a short distance behind the two, only walking briskly so as not to disturb the restless baby he held.

“Come here, kid.” Byleth teased in a familiar manner as she retrieved her bundled child from Hubert, his squirming immediately subsiding as his little bright blue eyes met his mother’s heartfeld ones.

Young Edelgard kept her distance by the steed as she silently watched the family reunion take place, waiting for Byleth to formally introduce her to… herself, taking the time to retrieve their gear and packs from the horse. Seeing her older self also explained why so few of the soldiers seemed to pay her any mind, her features were much sharper, more muscled, and not only was her formerly long hair reduced to a jawline level bob cut, it was brown again!

She was almost unrecognizable as herself, and the young Emperor was in awe, not necessarily from having doubted Byleth’s claims, but in just seeing them herself with her own eyes.

However, that was the moment when her lilac eyes, for just the briefest moment ended up in line with Hubert's inquisitive lime coloured irises. 

"Imposter! Who in the devil do you think you are, impersonating her Majesty!" He shouted at her, hands crackling with dark energy and poised to attack. 

_Well, this is ironic,_ Edelgard thought to herself as she raised her gloved hands and removed her hood. "Hubert, stop! She's not an imposter! She’s friendly!" Byleth frantically called out, with little Jeralt now crying as a result of the scuffle.

Though he still doubted, Hubert obeyed his Empress’ wishes and halted his magics, letting young Edelgard approach the four of them and specifically size up her older counterpart. _I can’t believe I never got any taller… or did I even shrink?_, she thought as the older Edelgard looked at her with pure shock and confusion in her expression. Young Edelgard’s attention was then drawn to her now suddenly silent future child in Byleth’s arms, Jeralt had recognized her mother, and he reached out a chubby hand for her to touch.

“I know you all probably have tons of questions,” Byleth stated, bridging the gap between the two of them.

“But for starters, El, meet Edelgard von Hresvelg, and Edelgard, meet El.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, now that everyone is all assembled the real fun can began. Again sorry this chapter took so long to finish, life and my mood have been very erratic, another big thank to my girlfriend for helping me come up with story ideas!


	4. Two Edelgards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting your time displaced self might not be a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I go a tiny bit non-canon in here, for artistic purposes.

In the end, Edelgard had rattled off a series of facts and events to both El and Hubert that seemed to satisfy the doubt among them enough, though Byleth wasn’t paying attention to the specifics as she was far too invested in the giggling baby resting in her arms.

“Momma missed you so much, kiddo… I promise I won’t ever leave you like that again.” She cooed, alternating between brushing the shock of brown hair atop Jeralt’s head and rubbing his squishy cheeks. Byleth then cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention, baby Jeralt having started sucking on his fingers, among other telltale signs. “I think this one here is hungry, can we stop somewhere to sit down for awhile?”

Luckily for them both El and Edelgard pointed out that there was a small cafe just at the end of the block, so Byleth regretfully attempted to hand their child over to her wife so she could resume hold of her crutches. “Hmm… how about I do this instead?” And El surprised Byleth greatly by scooping her off her feet, letting out a surprised yelp as her wooden poles fell to the stone street with a clatter.

Watching the scene unfold intensely, Edelgard held a hand to her fluttering chest as the two lovers then shared a wet kiss before El started carrying Byleth and their baby Jeralt down the street. _If I have to wait over five years to experience this for myself… I might just go insane._ She then dutifully collected Byleth’s discarded walking aids and joined the company herself.

The cafe attendant, a young sixteen year old boy with curly ginger hair let out a shocked gasp and accidentally let a porcelain cup crash to the floor as both the royal family and the Minister of the Imperial Household entered the shop. Hubert apologized to the staff for the sudden disturbance, passing him more than enough coin to cover the broken cup. He then asked if they perhaps had a closed or private area for them to sit in, wanting to avoid the few staring customers seated around various tables.

“Right this way please.” And he led them to a small room facing the street, not completely isolated due to the many windows granting views from both inside and outside, but with a solid enough door that the group could have a conversation and not be eavesdropped on. “Will you be ordering anything as well?” The attendant asked, a pen and notebook ready in his hands.

“Bergamot tea, please.” Both Edelgards requested.

“Espresso, sugar on the side.” Hubert tactfully ordered.

All eyes were then on Byleth, as the only one who was bothering to take a look at the folded paper menu left on their table, carefully reading over each line quietly.

“Oh, umm, a glass of milk… and the strudel, please!” She blurted out upon realizing everyone was waiting for her to order something, the attendant finishing the last request and accepting another more than ample payment from Hubert’s coin purse before departing with a bow, the Emperor was, after all, a woman of the people, and she wanted to be as gracious to her subjects as she possibly could.

El looked at Byleth with an eyebrow raised, to which she could only roll her eyes in response, “Little Jeralt isn’t the only one here who’s hungry, ok?” Byleth complained, beginning the process of rolling up her shirt so her child could begin suckling on one of her engorged breasts. It spread a wave of relief through her body, and Byleth never again wanted this to build up again unattended for over a week.

Byleth and El then began catching up on things missed during their time apart while Hubert sat quietly flipping through a small black book and making occasional notes inside. Edelgard however was quickly turning redder by the second, struggling to not let herself be caught staring at her Professor’s adorably pudgy tummy, her overwhelming bright smile, or the exposed teat she had on display right across from her.

_I can’t take it anymore, she’s just too cute!_

“I need to excuse myself!” Edelgard stood up and exclaimed, silencing the conversation and drawing everyone’s confused looks. “Um… restroom, yes there should be one in this place… please excuse me…” She continued to mutter, shuffling past El and Byleth and not letting her chest begin hyperventilating until she heard the definite click of a door shutting behind her.

“I hope she’s ok?” Byleth pondered, with her wife simply giving a resigned sigh.

_Yes, definitely me._ She thought, opting to return to the conversation she was having with Byleth lest her companion’s questions continue.

“Hmm, yes, sorry about that.” Edelgard apologized as she reintroduced herself to the group after a few minutes in private, taking a seat where her now steaming cup of tea was waiting for her. “I trust you are… well relieved?” El half-sighed as the younger girl took an ample sip of her drink, still looking incredibly flustered.

Edelgard didn’t bother to directly answer her right away, just taking the time to let the brief scalding heat and citrus aroma of the tea calm her nerves. Glancing around, it was only her older self that seemed interested in young Edelgard, Hubert was busy flipping through the day planner he always had at his side, while Byleth had her hands full holding a feeding infant in one arm while taking forkfulls of fresh pastry with the other.

“I’m just… a little overwhelmed is all.” Edelgard confessed, not wanting to reveal that is was difficult to even look at herself with El’s short brown hair, just being another obvious reminder of everything she had lost. The sensation of her hand being touched then shocked Edelgard back to reality, and she could see the bare hand of her older self rested atop hers, no doubt trying to help console the whirlwind of emotions she could sense her dealing with.

_Or… maybe a reminder of everything I stand to gain._

Once their refreshments had been finished and little Jeralt had been satisfyingly fed the group began to take their leave. El thanked the workers for their hospitality, and left an encouraging note about the possibility of catering for a future gathering she was expecting with Petra and Dorothea in the coming months, having enjoyed the quality of goods and services on offer.

Waiting for them outside was an open-top horse drawn carriage, which Hubert had decided to call for the benefit of Byleth, and anyone who wanted to take a turn carrying her. El was ready to help her wife up the steps to her seat, but Byleth paused for a moment, instead turning around and offering the now sleeping Jeralt to Edelgard.

“What?! No I couldn’t… it’s your child!” She stammered back in response, but Byleth was insistent. “He’s your kid too… eventually… come on I know you want to try holding him!”

Edelgard thought about protesting further, even looking at El to see if she disapproved, but a thumbs up was her only reaction. So she accepted the sleeping baby into her arms, marvelling at how the mere act seemed to wash away all her anxieties single handedly, leaving her smiling and heartstruck at the direction her life would surely be taking. She was so absorbed that she had to be reminded by Hubert giving a gentle shake of her shoulder to board the carriage.

El and Byleth sat side by side facing the back of the vehicle, fingers firmly intertwined and the Empress resting her tired head upon her Emperor’s shoulder. The ride was supposed to take less than five minutes, but in that time Byleth fell firmly asleep, her gentle snore and light drool making both Edelgards smile and chuckle quietly. El reached behind her and tapped the back of the driver to get his attention, “Take us around the city please, I don’t want to wake her up so soon.” She whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

Soon, as if sleepiness was contagious via touch, El joined her wife in pleasantly napping alongside her as their carriage toured the familiar city. There were a few new buildings and places in the streets of Enbarr that Edelgard did not recognize, but it was still the same city to her years later, and she was much more interested in getting a chance to talk somewhat alone with her older confidante.

“Everything seems so much better in this time, but I’m curious, is there anything you would’ve changed?” Edelgard asked Hubert, who was sitting patiently next to her with his arms crossed.

“Absolutely nothing,” He immediately replied, gaze not shifting at all, “Seeing you and Byleth happy together has been one of the two great joys in my life.” He confirmed, unfurling his arms and clasping his hands together. Edelgard was curious about what Hubert was trying to imply with his statement, but then she noticed the unmistakable glimmer of a gold band adorning Hubert’s left hand. “Who is it, Hubert? Who’s trying to steal you away from me?” She joked to him, causing the normally stoic Hubert to unmistakingly laugh, and he turned to look at Edelgard with his usual cocky grin.

“You would never believe me in a thousand years, Lady Edelgard.”

Hubert was right, she **couldn’t** believe that her closest advisor would ever end up in a serious relationship with her future Prime Minister, the two bickered, fought, argued and all around were upset with each other all the time back at the academy. Von Aegir being a radiant woman called Freya actually made sense by comparison, given the girl’s odd behaviours during the latter months of their academy year, yet even seeing her and Hubert hug, exchange a kiss, and show her matching engagement rings did nothing to break the illusion.

“Is this some kind of twisted joke?!” Edelgard immediately declared once the two had retreated off to their own vices, with El beside her trying her best to make the whole affair seem plausible to her younger self. “I didn’t want to believe it at first either,” She acknowledged, seeing Edelgard still completely dumbstruck by the revelation.

“But honestly? They’ve grown on me, and they’re **almost** as cute a couple as Byleth and I.” El finished with a chuckle, giving Edelgard a few consolatory pats on her shoulder.

“You two can talk and try and make sense of this… but I’m going to bed.” A still sleepy Byleth stated between yawns, giving her wife a quick hug and kiss before taking her leave to bed, clicking of crutches against the floor echoing down the hall. This just left El and Edelgard, still gently cradling baby Jeralt, in the palace atrium, which both Emperors recognized as an opportune time to have their own little chat privately.

“Would you like to come to my… er, our office?” El asked her younger self, accepting the sleeping child as Edelgard handed him back to her mother, she gave a short nod of approval and they went on their way. There was a simple wooden crib next to the Emperor’s desk which El deposited her sleepy child into, and hanging overtop was a spinning mobile adorned with carved and painted pegasi.

“The whole thing was a gift from Leonie, she made it herself.” El revealed, with Edelgard remarking in turn that perhaps she should try to better befriend Jeralt’s self-proclaimed apprentice in turn, remembering that their last conversation had been an argument over the girl’s supposed unfair treatment of the Professor. There were various forms and papers strewn about her older self’s desk, Edelgard hypothesizing that she had scrambled out in a hurry upon learning of their arrival on the streets.

El took her seat and looked expectantly at her younger self, waiting patiently for her to deliver the first question. El had things of herself to ask, namely how Edelgard had even appeared in this time, but she figured that saving her wife’s life granted Edelgard the privilege of scoring the first attack against her.

“How did you and the Prof- and Byleth get together?”

She figured that was going to the first query posed to her, recalling how absolutely smitten with her teacher she had been back in the academy. El knew at this point they had just started exploring their feelings together, only for it to be abruptly cut short by Byleth’s five year disappearance following the battle of Garreg Mach. That time had been the absolute hardest in her life, with El reduced to tears and nightmares nearly every day without her Professor at her side, days spent clearing rubble, searching endlessly, all for naught.

And then she had shown up, completely out of nowhere looking as if not a single day had passed for her.

Research into some of Seteth’s private files after the war’s conclusion revealed the cause, the implantation of the Crest Stone of Flames, and the ability of the children of the goddess to enter a sort of magic induced “healing coma” after suffering a near fatal injury. But while physically Byleth was completely unchanged, mentally something had happened to the poor woman during that time, as if all the progress she made in breaking out of her rigid stoicism had been washed away. Their professor no longer smiled, no longer pouted or frowned, she was completely taciturn and analytical, having no reaction to the heartrending hug she had given Byleth upon her return.

And so Edelgard von Hresvelg had lost another part of her life, perhaps the Professor was alive, but she was resigned to the fact that Byleth was dead.

So she wept again for her unrequited love, shifting all of her remaining energies to the task at hand, defeat Rhea, free the world from the control of the church, and then exterminate the Agarthan threat. But when they finally slew the Immaculate One, Edelgard cried for her love a third time, thinking she was going to lose her again as the Professor crumpled to the floor unexpectedly. Weeping, Edelgard cursed the world for now depriving her life of her love’s soul and body, but instead of further retribution, a miracle happened.

Byleth returned to her, and she finally smiled again.

“We did it, Edelgard…” She weakly muttered as the Emperor held her limp body amongst the burning city. Still crying, Edelgard hugged her love more fiercely, hearing the definite beat of a heart beneath her armour. “Call me El, please…” She stammered between sobs, “the people closest to me called me El, and you’re closer than anyone else, please…”

Byleth looked close to losing consciousness yet again, but she was still smiling, eyes still sparkling with life. “El… I… I…” And she went silent.

“I love you too, Byleth.”

Two weeks later she arose from her trauma back in Garreg Mach, with Edelgard at her side yet again. Following a brief physical to make sure nothing else was wrong, Byleth accompanied Edelgard to the Goddess Tower, where a ring was gifted, and two lives were complete.

“Wow that really is… ‘hopelessly romantic.’” Edelgard reckoned, remembering the words Byleth had used to describe their relationship not too long ago.

El let out a great laugh, accidentally waking up little Jeralt in the process, who began to stir and call for attention. “I suppose you are right, but I think it suits us.” She agreed, moving to pick her child up and carefully rock him back to sleep.

_With this knowledge of the future, maybe I can spare both of us the torment these two had to go through._

“But enough about my sappy love life, why and how did you get here?” El asked her younger self, back at seat.

That resulting conversation and debate took three pots of tea, a late dinner, and the entire rest of the afternoon and evening to parse out, but in the end their combined knowledge seemed to provide a possible solution to Edelgard’s returning, it would just have to wait for Byleth in the morning. She was face first into one of her pillows when they stepped into the bedchamber, snoring muffled by the soft feathers underneath Byleth’s face.

“Here, I’ve got you some spare clothes.” El stated, handing her younger self a neatly folded collection of garments. “Do you want me to show you to the guest room we had prepared?”

Edelgard looked upon herself with a mixture of confusion and jealousy, as she had no intention of sleeping anywhere other than **her own room.**

“No, this room will do nicely.” She defiantly asserted.

El gave a mock laughter in return, and walked up to her younger self, trying to stand firm and tall against Edelgard, even though she had just removed her heels and thus fell short of her slightly.

“This is my room, where I sleep with my **wife**. We’ll not have anyone disturb our private moments.”

“Byleth doesn’t mind me sleeping with her, we did so on the way here!”

Revealing that little fact might have been a mistake, as El immediately swarmed red with fury. “You did **WHAT?!**”

“Don’t let your imagination run wild, we just shared a cot, she offered to just to ensure we both had a good night’s rest!”

“That doesn’t change that you slept with my wife!”

By now El looked like she was about to tackle Edelgard and throw her out, but whatever action that was about to take place was ceased as they were both interrupted by a wailing baby and the fluffy impact of a pillow being tossed as the older Emperor’s head. Both turned to see Byleth now out of bed and holding the crying Jeralt, looking quite annoyed and aggravated at the two of them.

“If Edelgard wants to sleep here, she can, if **you** have such a problem with that, I’ll go lie on the couch outside!” Byleth vigorously protested, trying her best to soothe her agitated baby.

El hated arguing with her wife, and so relented immediately, though she did take the time to share a barbed look with Edelgard, the younger woman returning a look of equal intensity.

“Don’t get any ideas… she’s mine.”

“What ideas? This Professor is just a friend.”

During the middle of the night El unintentionally awoke, and found she had her arms slung over Byleth’s back… who in turn held Edelgard tightly against her just as she had on the road to Enbarr, platinum haired head nestled firmly against the Empress’ chest.

It took all her power to avoid screaming bloody murder at the image.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought process of the final scene
> 
> El: (Did she **** my wife?)
> 
> Edelgard: (Does she think I ****ed her wife?)
> 
> Byleth: (I want.... cheesey bun)
> 
> And... let the battle commence.
> 
> Points for anyone who spots the movie reference with the cafe scene.


	5. Purpose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last nights misadventures lead to this days struggles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHY DID I STAY UP TO 430AM TO WRITE THIS oh right cause I'm a disaster bi and Edeleth waits for no woman.
> 
> Anyway this chapter is special because I concurrently prepared a "bonus" chapter containing some hilarious NSFW scenes, I did promise the main fic would be free of that so it will be posted as it's own fic, look for it separately. It won't be necessary to read if you want to enjoy the main story, it's just a bonus scene I wrote while... "frustrated" for lack of a better word.

_Gone to work, back by dinner._

_~El._

Byleth scratched her head after reading the short note, a slight look of worry adorning her face. “I think she’s upset with me.” She suggested, passing over the note to Edelgard so she could see it for herself.

“What makes you think that?” Edelgard asked.

Even at her busiest El never left bed without at least giving her a goodbye kiss, Byleth explained. If she was getting up and leaving without saying so, then El must not want to talk to her, Byleth theorized, and the only reason she’d be avoiding speaking to her would be because El was upset over something.

Byleth fell backwards onto the bed with a sigh, raising her ring adorned hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. Edelgard laid herself to rest on her side, next to Byleth and facing her, now feeling upset herself at the unknown guilt her Professor was now burdened with. “Maybe you were just sleeping very soundly and she didn’t want to wake you up?” Edelgard suggested.

Byleth wearily shook her head, she was thoroughly convinced of the situation and was not taking it well. “Please, my teacher, you don’t need to cry… I’m sure everything will be ok.” Edelgard stated, trying to comfort Byleth as her mood continued to deteriorate. “No, it’s not, I’m a failure as a wife and as a mother.” She wailed, turning over so her back was to Edelgard. “I can’t take care of El… and I can’t take care of our son, I just screw everything up.”

“I saw how happy you were to see your family, Byleth, how tender and loving you are with them.” Edelgard spoke out, trying to console her downtrodden Professor. “You’re not a screw up, my teacher.” She finished.

Byleth was unmoved, still facing away from Edelgard, she confessed, “Do you know why I was there, at that canyon where you saved me?”

Edelgard was silent, dreading Byleth’s probable answer.

“I was running away from everything, from my responsibilities, because I had given up.”

As if he could sense the depression evident in his mother’s voice, little Jeralt suddenly started a low wail in his crib beside the bed. Edelgard waited patiently for Byleth to get up and tend to her child, but the older woman remained silent and unmoving on her side, just blinking and staring off in a haze. Eventually Edelgard realized she would need to act, and so she got out of bed to go to Jeralt’s side and pick up the crying infant. She had no experience in calming a crying baby, so Edelgard tried whatever she could think of, rocking Jeralt back and forth, speaking softly to him, holding his tiny hand.

As nothing she tried seemed to be helping, Edelgard brought Jeralt to Byleth’s side and gave her a sharp push on the shoulder, knocking the older woman onto her back. “I know you’re hurting Professor, but please you have to at least try!” She shouted at her, trying to get some sort of reaction of Byleth.

But still she was silent, and so Edelgard decided she would have to seek out help from someone else, laying down Jeralt just long enough so that she could throw a long red robe over her nightclothes.

“Wait.” Edelgard faintly heard from behind her as she was about to pick up Jeralt again.

Byleth had finally registered what was going on, and Edelgard moved out of her way so the mother could hold her upset child. Picking up Jeralt and then sitting at the edge of the bed, Byleth did something she had never seen her Professor do.

She started singing.

_A light breeze gently blows in  
Blow into my heart  
My goddess of fortune_

_Beyond the blue sky  
There lies the eternal sea within my loving soul_

_With one bolt of light  
You will know of my legend  
Whenever you think of me, I shall always whisper to you_

_On the surface, the blue sky  
There lies the eternal sea within my loving soul_

_Wherever you go to  
Wherever I go to  
My love lies deep within your life  
My love remains in all your days_

_It takes just one of your smiles  
Just one single smile_

_My soul shall never die, for it is eternal  
You need not shed your tears for me_

Edelgard marvelled at her Professor’s singing voice, which also seemed to have the desired effect on Jeralt as he had quieted down and was now just making his regular hungry motions. “My teacher… did you write that?” Edelgard asked in amazement as Byleth began unhooking the buttons down her blouse.

“For our first anniversary.” She answered, and Byleth was finally smiling again.

Edelgard stood up, a bold sense of determination filling up within her. _Maybe I’m here for this reason,_ she thought, and so the young Emperor was resolved to seek out herself and mend the rifts that were threatening to tear this family apart. “I’m going to go get some fresh air, is it ok if I leave you here?” Edelgard asked, walking behind a screen so she could get changed into some of the day clothes her older self had lent her.

“Oh, I’ll be ok now, I think.” Byleth affirmed, clearly too enamoured with the little baby suckling her. “But do get someone to send me some breakfast, please.” She hastily added just as Edelgard was about to step out of the room.

Edelgard strode as fast as she could to El’s office, she had an idea for how to help the two, but it would probably be a bit awkward trying to convince herself to go along with it. However, upon her arrival she found the Emperor’s office to be empty, with the faint scene of citrus in the air suggesting that she had perhaps just missed her. Curious, Edelgard walked over to her older self’s desk and looked at the work she had spread out atop it, some maps, pins, and a book of hastily scribbled notes were all present, but it would take a more thorough reading to make out exactly what was being worked on.

“Ahem.” Edelgard then heard someone call from the office entrance.

She turned around to see Hubert standing at the door, hands clasped behind his back. “I must have forgotten to lock the door, I’m afraid we can’t have anyone even here, even you.” Hubert spoke to her, yet Edelgard continued to study the notes El had left behind. “Do you know what she was working on?” Edelgard asked her advisor, completely disregarding his earlier instructions.

“Her Majesty is in a meeting with the other ministers, so you’ll have to wait and ask her. Outside.” Hubert began to threaten.

“This looks like land reform… or redistribution? In the Hrym region, only… wait a minute that makes no sense.” Edelgard mumbled to herself, pulling out the chair and sitting down so she could begin correcting her other self’s mistakes. At this point Hubert began to catch on to what Edelgard was doing, and he started to smile. “I will go see if I can borrow her quickly.” He stated before giving a quick bow and departing.

El stormed in just a few minutes later, stomping right up to her desk to confront her younger self with Hubert at her side. “What do you think you’re doing?” She demanded of Edelgard, snatching the quill out of her hand so she would be forced to pay attention to her.

“Our duty.” Was all Edelgard said, rising out of her chair and walking around the desk so the two of them could stand face to face. Edelgard then grasped herself on her shoulders before El could muster another protest, “Go spend time with your wife, I’ll handle things here.” She offered.

There they stood for several awkward moments as Edelgard waited for El to respond, she had walked in frustrated but was now quickly turning distressed, trying to weigh the different options in her head. “Do you even know what I’m working on?” She queried, clearly wanting to take the chance but unsure if it was feasible.

“With all due respect, do you?” Edelgard retorted, “I looked at your notes, so many points are contradictory or don’t make sense, for one you wrote down the same parcel to three different villages!”

“Look, you’re clearly much too distracted to be working like this, Hubert can fill in the gaps for me, go be with her.”

El grabbed ahold of her younger self’s lapels and squeezed hard, then with her head bowed she answered, “Ok… thank you.”

“Just help Byleth, please, she needs you as much as you need her.” Edelgard stated, giving El some encouraging pats on the shoulder.

Symbolically, El removed the light golden crown she wore and handed it to her younger self with a sigh of relief before preparing to make her exit.

“Oh, and one more thing, sorry.” Edelgard interrupted herself, El looking back to see what she was going to say.

“I’m sorry I uh… made things complicated.”

El didn’t say anything in return, and simply resuming her stride out of the room, eager to spend the day with her family. Her wife was in bed with her back propped up against the end, with Jeralt sitting between her legs when El returned to their room. The Empress was busy reading a colourful children’s book to their son and thus didn’t immediately notice that her wife had entered until she walked up next to the two of them.

“Mind if I join you?” El asked, nervously twiddling her fingers.

Byleth smiled and patted the space to her side, so El removed her shoes and curled up right next to her, draping one of her arms across Byleth’s shoulder and resting her head upon it, the Empress readjusting her glasses so she could continue reading from the story.

“Bravely the warrior lady continued to fight the mad dragon… doing all she could to save her love…”

Byleth stopped at that note for a while before turning to look at her wife, eyes wet and nose starting to sniffle. El simply held her head with her free hand and gave Byleth a long kiss on the lips, letting their love do all the talking they needed to do. Byleth leaned heavily into her touch, heart beginning to pick up in beats rapidly as she could feel her urges rising to the top, only tempered by the continued presence of little Jeralt in her bed.

As if on queue they all heard Freya announce herself into the room, stating she had been summoned by the Emperor.

“Do you mind looking after Jeralt for the day, Freya? Byleth and I need some alone time together.” El asked, to which her Prime Minister stated it was no problem at all.

“Come on kiddo,” Freya said as she picked the happy child up, “Looks like you get to spend the day with your favourite auntie!” She continued to beam as the two lovers were now left alone.

El figured she should inform her wife of the circumstances of her being there, but before she could muster anything more then, “By, just so you know-” The Empress had pounced her, all thoughts left to dissolve as the two let their needs overtake them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poor girls just need to talk things out, really.
> 
> Anyway, astute viewers (or people who follow my Twitter account) should probably recognize the song I blatantly stole for the singing scene, let me know if you get it! I had to change the lyrics slightly in order for it to flow better in this form, but I can't sing to save my life so I have no idea if it sounds good haha.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!


	6. Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard had taken over the reigns of the Empire in order to give Byleth and El time to heal... but now it was time for her to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is, the finale, and to think when I first thought this up I thought it was going to be a ONE SHOT. Good lord.

_ONE MONTH LATER_

Before Edelgard had arrived in this time, she was filled with determination, a drive to remove the Church’s control over Fódlan through it’s fingers into the Crest system, the nobility, and even it’s education through punishingly exclusive institutions like Garreg Mach itself. Aside from her brief bout of combat upon her arrival, Edelgard’s time in the future could be said to be almost like a vacation, there were no battles to be fought, no conflicts to resolve, no obstacles to overcome.

At least, not initially.

Seeing the family her future self and Professor had started together shocking to the young Emperor, especially since it was something she never thought possible with her truncated life, yet even that seemingly impossible barrier had been overcome. Except, it wasn’t the happy, faerie tale ending such romanticism would suggest, she could see they were struggling, and badly. Now Edelgard von Hresvelg was filled with a new determination to help her family heal however which way she could.

And that was how Edelgard von Hresvelg became Emperor of the Adrestian Empire for the second time in her life.

It wasn’t a seamless transition right away, Edelgard didn’t know all of the same nuances and procedures her older self had committed to memory, but it was a task she had prepared most of her life for, and so she had no qualms over stepping in so El and Byleth could work out their relationship issues. Besides, it meant she got to spend lots of time with Hubert and Freya, and watching **that** unfold before her eyes was its own kind of entertainment.

“Hubert! You can’t seriously think that is the best way to resolve that!”

“You must simply lack the nuance to see its intricacies, Freya.”

Meanwhile, Edelgard set with her elbows perched on her desk, resting her head in her hands while her lilac eyes darted back and forth to whoever was making the new barb. She didn’t dare interrupt either of them or the spell would be broken, each minister’s complexion turning a new shade redder after each traded jab. It didn’t take much of her powers of observation to recognize that this had effectively become them flirting with each other. This would usually continue for a few more minutes until the two were rendered silent and glaring at each other, Hubert’s eyes poised like a cobra ready to strike, and Freya near frothing at the mouth akin to an attack hound.

“...Are you two done yet?” Edelgard innocently asked.

“No!” They both shouted back in perfect unison.

Now this would only end in one of two ways, either both sides would start to calm down and return to their usual level of thickheadedness, or…

“Come, we need to resolve this in private!” Freya threatened, grabbing Hubert by the collar and dragging the man out of the room, not resisting since he knew there was no way he could match Freya’s physical prowess. Hubert did offer a somewhat pleading look to Edelgard as he was whisked away, to which she could only awkwardly give a small wave goodbye as she sipped from her cup of tea, neither willing nor able to really affect what was about to happen.

It would be up to whoever won this new fight to return triumphant and propose their final conclusion.

Edelgard leaned back in her chair and took one last look at the document that had been the source of the two advisor’s argument, she didn’t quite feel like progressing onwards with this proposal unfinished, plus Hubert and Freya’s “arguing” would take... at least an hour. So, she figured why not take a proper tea break, and see what the royal couple was up to.

“Well… though I loathe... to admit it… losing my… crests has… dulled my strength somewhat…” El grimly explained between repetitions, letting Byleth carefully guide the barbell back to its rest.

She then took a small cloth from her wife and began wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on her head and neck. “So now I just have to work even harder to get it back.” El finished with the smile before laying back down and beginning another set. Edelgard was a bit puzzled, for she had been told they were just going to spend the day relaxing, meanwhile here El was bench pressing at least two hundred kilograms based on the heavy weights stacked at each end of the barbell. “This is considered leisure time for you two?” She asked.

“I love weight training… I don’t get enough time for it anymore…” El matter of factly answered.

“As for me… well this is practically the greatest show in Fódlan… and I have front row tickets!” Byleth exclaimed, with Edelgard finally noticing how her eyes were drawn like magnets to the work being done by El’s glistening muscles. Realizing very quickly what would eventually happen in this private training gym, Edelgard started taking a few cautious steps back in preparation to flee the scene with haste.

“Why don’t you join us? You’ve got time, right? And there are plenty of other tools here.” El innocently suggested, sitting back up and taking a brief swig from her water canister. Edelgard briefly looked back at the two and immediately noticed the lust growing in Byleth’s eyes with every rep her wife completed.

It took all of her composure to not begin panicking.

“No, no thanks… I’m… not feeling well… I think I’ll go lie down… away… in bed…” She fibbed.

Edelgard turned away again to gracefully leave, but this time Byleth tried to entice her to stay. “If you need to lie down there’s a nice padded seat over on the side there.” She stated, pointing to a decent sized divan on the side of the room. “If you can wait just a bit I can go get some medicine for you.” Byleth adds.

Not wasting anymore time nor allowing herself to fall into any possible temptation, Edelgard picked that moment to abandon all subtlety and just run out the training room as fast and as far away until she reached the relative safety of the Imperial Office yet again.

Following Edelgard’s frantic escape El sent a confused look to Byleth, wondering if they should send someone to follow Edelgard, make sure she is alright. “Oh she’s fine, I was trying to make her leave, actually.” Byleth cooly admitted, walking around the barbell on its rest so she could swing her leg over the bench and straddle El, surprising her somewhat.

“...You really couldn’t wait until I was finished, By…?” El asked with a hint of annoyance as her wife leaned overtop of her and began taking in her scent whilst grinding against El’s leg. “It’s your fault for being so irresistible, El…” Byleth cooed, now drawing her tongue against her uncovered abs, lapping up the sweat droplets studding them like a dog licking its owner’s fingers clean of crumbs.

El let out another sigh before smiling, she then grasped her barbell once again and prepared to start another set. “If something happens, it’s only because you’re too enamoured to spot me.” She warned, resuming her workout once again.

Byleth has her lead laid sideways just below El’s chest, “I won’t let anything happen, trust me.” She says before letting her hand drift on it’s natural course down her body.

Meanwhile, right after Edelgard reached safety she quickly turned and clicked the door lock shut, slumping down back against the wall and still panting.

“Why is it I’m surrounded by sex crazed demons!” Edelgard shouted to no one in particular.  
She managed to close off the rest of the work day without any more… incidents, but then took over the new task of the day, figuring out how to return home. Edelgard had stopped pestering Byleth for a solution ever since that sour day a month ago, and she figured her Professor had been intentionally procrastinating on it in an effort to keep her here as long as possible.

But she could see the cracks were now healing, and Edelgard was itching to get back to her own mission. It was time enough, she had decided that day, Edelgard was confident that she was no longer needed in this time.

“I’m telling you, I tried for weeks to recall a hint of the Goddess’ power… but nothing happened… I haven’t given up on getting you home, Edelgard, I’m just out of ideas!” Byleth deposed exasperatingly before letting herself fall back into bed and kicking off her shoes. Edelgard walked over and casually moved the Empress’ foot wear to its assigned space on the shoe rack, then turning around she asked, “And there was no help from Rhea’s journal?”

Byleth winced as she recalled the pages of that rotten book, reading through her notes, the reality of what the Archbishop had done to her and her parents made Byleth sick to her stomach. Past that were just the mad ramblings of a vile woman, cursing her, and Edelgard and eventually even Flayn and Seteth for “abandoning” her.

She wished that wherever they were, that the two were ok, Byleth felt sorry for them being caught in the middle of their struggle.

“There was nothing gained from reading that wretched tome.” Byleth spat with venom, “And when I finished, I destroyed it completely.”

“Which means we’re back at square one.” El stated just after laying Jeralt to rest in his crib, she then walked over and sat next to Byleth on the bed. “I even asked Linhardt to look through some old Imperial writings on the Goddess, and early Fódlan history, for anything that could be helpful, no such luck.” She added.

Edelgard started rubbing her brow in thought, “There must be something we’re missing.” She declared. “Maybe… maybe if Byleth truly no longer has her powers… then someone else does?” Edelgard pondered aloud.

“So-tis!” A tiny voice suddenly cried out, interrupting the three women in this discussion.

All eyes were drawn to the wooden crib just off the side of the bed, El and Byleth started moving closer to investigate if that was really where the word had come from. “Kiddo… Jeralt…?” Byleth and El both asked respectively as they cleared the walls of the bed, seeing little Jeralt looking expectantly at the two of them, mouth gargling to make further sounds.

Byleth picked her son up, both of their deep blue eyes looking into another, “Say that again, kid!” She encouraged, trying to prove her hunch as to what Jeralt was trying to tell them.

“So-tis!” He squealed once again, following it up with some other blurbs and giggles, and Byleth was convinced.

“I don’t get it.” Edelgard pondered, finishing. “I thought infants had to be at least a few months older before they were able to make words?” But there was no reaction to this by the two mothers.

“Byleth… did you ever speak about… the Goddess to our son?” El questioned, walking up to her wife and putting a nervous hand on her shoulder. Byleth didn’t answer, instead bringing Jeralt even closer to her eyes, staring into her son’s irises intensely.

Then, for just a moment, Byleth swore she saw something in their reflection, a short, grinning, wild green haired girl looking back at her.

Byleth quickly turned to face both Edelgards, the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes. “It’s Sothis!” She cried, momentarily pausing to tickle her son’s cheek. “Sothis is the key… and she’s inside Jeralt!” Byleth finished, tears now freely flowing down her face. She looked back to Jeralt and spoke through him to Sothis, knowing she was listening. “I thought you were gone forever… after Solon… after Rhea… I missed you so much…”

Edelgard was beyond confused and so asked her older self if she had any idea what was going on in front of them. “Byleth told me the Goddess Sothis once resided within her… but when her powers left after slaying Rhea, By thought she had left completely…” El explained, now in partial shock herself as the realization hit her as well. Hearing this, Edelgard remembered the battle in the Sealed Forest, when her Professor had remembered from nothingness with her new look and powers, she had told her they were a gift from the Goddess, but only now did it truly make sense.

“So… the Goddess… Sothis? That’s who brought me here?” Edelgard pondered aloud, though neither woman paid attention as El had now joined her wife in marvelling the reality of their son. There was nothing else that needed to be said that night between them as they all went to bed together, the way forward was clear to all of them, it was just a matter of when.

Today was the day, just approaching two months since her unexpected arrival into the future. It seemed like a good time to Edelgard to take her newfound knowledge back home with her, and win her and Byleth’s war with even more splendor than she ever thought imaginable. The three of them plus Jeralt, held by El, shared one last cup of tea in the palace garden before the young Emperor would make her exit. The mood was somewhat somber, with the occasional brief respite of familial bonding, Edelgard knew she was going to truly miss them, her future family, but the need to return to her own outweighed that.

Too soon, the Bergamot was finished, Byleth quickly offered to brew another round, but Edelgard flatly refused, as she knew delaying this any further would just make it harder for everyone involved. “I’m time, my teacher… any longer and I think you won’t be able to let go.” She consoles Byleth, the older women close to tears as the moment neared. They both stand up, and Edelgard walks over to Byleth so she can hug her, the former Professor squeezes into her hard.

“What will I do without you… in this world where my heart is too big for one Edelgard von Hresvelg?” Byleth joked between tears as the younger woman ruffled her messy hair. They both chuckled, and Edelgard couldn’t help but joke back, “You need a girlfriend, Byleth.”

The Empress looked up to see her wife and little Jeralt watching them both with a smile, which Byleth immediately returned.

“I guess I could also love you twice as much.”

The actual departure would hopefully be a much simpler affair, Byleth would simply ask Sothis, through Jeralt, to return Edelgard to her own time and place. Byleth figured that she already knew their intent and was just waiting patiently for them to give the ok, but it did raise the question, what exactly had she witnessed through her son?

Her and El’s love.

Their difficulties.

Their struggles.

Their mutual abandonment.

And thinking even further, Sothis could have feasibly sent her any protector, so why not Edelgard, but an Edelgard that had not yet lost or grieved? Perhaps it was a way to save her family, Byleth reckoned? She had essentially rekindled her romance with her by scratch, reminding both her and El that their own lives should be valued as much as their duty.

For after all, if they can’t raise a single happy family, how could they reconstruct the entirety of Fódlan?

It was now time for the final goodbyes, as they all stood up and close to one another. Byleth leaned forward and gave a farewell kiss on Edelgard’s cheek, “For luck,” she stated, meanwhile El felt compelled to ask one final thing of her younger self.

“I know this is possibly an impossible request, lord knows I tried my hardest, but... “ She began, Edelgard watching closely as she struggled to finish.

“Dimitri, please, you have to save him.” El concluded, taking a deep gulp as she waited for the reply.

Edelgard stood resolute in her academy wear, trusty axe gripped at her side once again.

“Don’t worry, I will.” And she was gone in a brilliant flash of light.

When her vision had cleared again, Edelgard found her right back where she remembered her departure having taken place. She was standing, axe in hand, while her mint haired Byleth held her shoulders, only a fraction of a second before having asked for her help. There they stood just looking at each other, and while to a naked eye it would’ve looked like nothing had happened, from her close up view Byleth could see the long months of delay in Edelgard’s face.

“I did it Professor, I saved you just like you asked.” Edelgard stated, trying her hardest to hold back the waves of emotions attacking her heart upon seeing her teacher again after so long. Byleth’s hands drop from Edelgard’s shoulders, but she catches them before fully returning to the Professor’s side.

“If you have some time, By- my teacher… I’d like to discuss some things with you… over tea, perhaps?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Edelgard's attempt to rewrite history in her favour be successful? Will she be able to save Byleth and Dimitri from their unintended fates? Find out next time, on.... if I ever decide to revisit this, which I don't really plan to, but if anyone else wants to... be my guest!
> 
> Also tuff El and soft By, fight me. Edelgard's one-rep max is at least 275kg.

**Author's Note:**

> Jeez, why does everything I write have to feature lots of angst? Oh well.
> 
> This idea was given to be by a couple pieces of fanart featuring (what I assume to be) post-skip Byleth with both post-skip Edelgard and pre-skip Edelgard, this one is my favourite.
> 
> https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/77483991
> 
> Also, yeah this started out a bit violent but that was not my intent, I mostly write by the seat of my pants with only a vague idea of how I'm going to proceed, so I will only say I EXPECT this to get funnier and lighter once the two Edelgards start reacting to each other.
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy, and please leave a comment! I love every single one of them.
> 
> Also props if you get the movie reference.


End file.
